


The Better Man

by respoftw



Series: Tumblr Prompts - Hawksilver edition [60]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Douchebag OMC, Happy Ending, Jealousy, M/M, Stupid decisions, oblivious boys in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-24
Updated: 2015-08-24
Packaged: 2018-04-17 01:30:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4647252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/respoftw/pseuds/respoftw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So, when one of the SHIELD agents attached to the new base of operations asked him out, Pietro accepts.  It's past time that he tried to move on from Clint.  He needed to let go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Better Man

**Author's Note:**

> anonymous asked:
> 
> Could you do a jealous pietro because Clint spends Time with Natasha and he gets a little Agnsty because he thinks Clint doesn't like him.

Pietro has learned a lot in his short time with the Avengers.

 

He's learned how to work as part of a team bigger than two; how to build his stamina so he can be stronger, faster, better; that Steve is more accomplished with the fancy Stark gadgets than he is; that Tony is not all that bad once you get to know him...

 

He's also learned that unrequited love sucks.

 

Crashing into Clint Barton in a Sokovian forest was both the best and worst thing that's happened to him since the bombs.

 

The best because it introduced him to this stubborn, breakable, stupidly brave old man who could match Pietro snark for snark, who sang like an angel and punched like an anvil, who was kind and funny and just a little bit of an asshole in the best kind of way.

 

The worst because Clint, for all that Pietro had fallen head over heels in love with the guy, was very much involved with the one Avenger that he did not want to risk messing with: Natasha Romanoff.

 

Seeing the way that Nat only smiled for Clint, the way Clint was always aware of her in every situation, was like a bullet to the chest each and every time, made worse by the fact that Clint sometimes looked and smiled at Pietro like he just might feel the same way.

 

It had given him hope, the way Clint had looked at him when he first woke up in that hospital bed, the way that Clint had hugged him and looked out for him...but he had soon realised that he could never compete with what Clint and Natasha had.

 

So, when one of the SHIELD agents attached to the new base of operations asked him out, Pietro accepts. It's past time that he tried to move on from Clint. He needed to let go.

 

Grant seemed nice enough, a stubborn, breakable, stupidly attractive young man who maybe ran a bit more towards mean than snarky, who kissed like a devil and fucked like an anvil, who was dull and boring and a whole lot of asshole, in the worst kind of way.

 

Pietro found all of that out during their first date. An awkward dinner where Grant spent most of the time boasting about all the HYDRA agents he'd killed followed by an even more awkward fuck which had left Pietro bruised and unsatisfied, and ,even worse, still thinking of Clint.

 

He turned down Grant's request for a second date.

 

*

 

Wanda pulls him aside as he walks back into base the next morning, still sweaty from his first run of the day.

 

“You need to be prepared.”

 

Confused, Pietro racks his memories for an upcoming battle simulation or training exercise that he had forgotten. Then he stops thinking all together as Wanda pushes overheard snatches of conversation into his head.

 

“ _Seriously, you fucked him?” / “Please, he was begging for it. It was all I could do to keep him from crawling under the table at the restaurant.” / “What was it like?” / “Well, I don't like to kiss and tell but...let's just say that it's not just on the battlefield that he's fast.” / “Oh man, you gonna see him again?” / “Nah, why would I need to? I got what I wanted.”_

 

“Is it true?” Wanda's voice breaks Pietro out of the memories, her voice small and sympathetic as he tries to blink the tears of shame from his eyes.

 

“Is what true? That I let that bastard fuck me or that I'm terrible in bed.” Pietro regrets his harsh tone as soon as he's said it. It's not Wanda's fault that he picked the worst possible person to try to get over Clint with. Radiating feelings of apology, he kisses his sister on the temple. “Where is he?”

 

“In the SHIELD common room with his cronies. Do you want me to...?” Wanda waggles her hands suggestively and Pietro is very tempted to let her loose on Grant's mind but...

 

“No, I need to sort this myself.”

 

“OK, brother. I love you.”

 

“Love you too.”

 

*

 

Pietro tried to psyche himself up for the confrontation as he headed through the restricted Avengers corridors on his way to the SHIELD occupied part of the base, it's hard to get the necessary levels of anger flowing when all he can think is just how stupid he had been.

 

He's not prepared for the sight that greets him when he pushes his way into the SHIELD common room:

 

Clint trembling with fury, standing over a bleeding and bruised Grant, being held back by Tony and Natasha as Captain America himself reads the SHIELD agent the riot act.

 

“You're a disgrace, Agent and I will personally see to it that you never work on another Avengers mission again. I've spoken to Fury and you're to report to him in DC at 1800 tonight, if it were up to me you wouldn't work on another SHIELD mission ever again, you better pray he's more lenient. You and your things need to be off this base by 0900 and you do _not_ want me to have to remind you again. Dismissed.”

 

Grant lurches to his feet and freezes for just a moment as he sees Pietro in the doorway before shouldering roughly passed him, causing Clint to growl and Tony and Natasha to strengthen their grip on him.

 

All eyes are on him now and Pietro feels about three inches tall.

 

“You did not have to do that. I would have dealt with it.”

 

Steve walks over and claps him on the shoulder. “You're family, Pietro. We don't tolerate people messing with our family.”

 

Blushing, Pietro nods. He knows that he would have reacted exactly the same if it had been any other member of the team. “I, uh, thanks. Can I...can I take the day?”

 

All Pietro wants to do is wallow for the rest of the day so he can come back stronger tomorrow and he smiles gratefully at Steve as he agrees, hastily making his exit from the room.

 

He hadn't met Clint's eyes once.

 

*

 

It's only when he's alone in his room that he allows himself to think about what he just saw. Clint had been there. Clint had punched Grant. Clint had heard the things that Grant had been saying about him.

 

_Fuck._

 

A gentle knock interrupts his building panic.

 

“Wanda, I'm fine. I want to be alone.” he calls out in Sokovian.

 

“Uh...I didn't understand any of that but Wanda and I'm not her.” Clint's voice answers. “You gonna let me in, kid?”

 

Opening the door, Pietro frowns at the concerned looking archer. “I'm fine. You do not need to check up on me.”

 

Clint barrels past him and sprawls himself comfortably on Pietro's unmade bed. “Well, I'm not fine. You ever think about that? Here's me thinking that you and me maybe could have had something and you go off and get involved with Agent Douche? Not cool.”

 

“Yeah? Well, I don't think Nat would be too happy to hear that. I don't do men who are already in relationships.”

 

“No, just assholes who don't deserve you, apparently!” Clint scoffs. “Wait...what? You think Nat and I are involved?”

 

“Are you seriously going to tell me that you're not? I have eyes, Barton. I see how you two are together. You care about each other. No one can break through that.”

 

Clint mutters to himself as he shakes his head before standing in one smooth movement and stalking towards Pietro until he's backed into a wall, Clint standing far too close for comfort.

 

“I _do_ care about Nat. More than most people could ever know. She's my family, she's my..she's my Wanda, idiot.”

 

“You're not....?”

 

“No.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Yeah, oh.”

 

Clint reaches out to brush his hands over Pietro's hips and he can't help but hiss as the bruises Grant left make themselves known.

 

Clint freezes and a look of cold fury passes over his face as he pulls Pietro's t-shirt up enough to see the purpling marks. “That sonofabitch. I'm gonna kill him.”

 

Pietro stops him before he can go and commandeer a jet to take off after Grant and finish what he started earlier. “NO! He didn't hurt me. It was all consensual. Just a little rough. And bad. I'm OK.”

 

Calming down, Clint brushes his thumb gently, reverently over the marks. “You know, I worked a couple of training exercises with him back in the day. I _always_ did better than him.”

 

Pietro smiles for the first time since this whole stupid thing began. “Is that so, Agent Barton? You looking to see if you're still better than him?”

 

Clint's wicked grin is answer enough.

 

*

 

Clint's reputation as the more skilled man definitely remains intact.


End file.
